


happy hands

by TheDeviantSentByJericho



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, And Lo shows up for like a paragraph, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Needs a Hug, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders is a Sweetheart, Emile is only mentioned, Fluff, Gen, Human AU, Hurt/Comfort, I am on a ROLL today with new fics, Little!Roman, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Good Friend, Non-Sexual Age Play, Regressed!Roman, Roman does flappy hands when he's regressed, Softness, Stimming, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, caretaker!patton, heavy on the comfort, kind of, not intended for littles to read, vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28061553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDeviantSentByJericho/pseuds/TheDeviantSentByJericho
Summary: Roman is regressed, and Patton is there to support him.Unfortunately, something goes wrong.Fortunately, there's someone willing to help.
Relationships: Dr. Emile Picani/Sleep | Remy Sanders
Comments: 6
Kudos: 83





	happy hands

**Author's Note:**

> i have a roman playlist, check it out? https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ul_k-GVGQc70JYeqnBEhbWFq5TwzNu-

Roman age-regressed.

It wasn't something he talked about.

Patton knew about it, but the others? He tried to keep it hidden. Not even his twin brother, Remus, knew.

Which led to today's issue.

They were out of Crofters again, and Roman and Logan both, well, were a touch reliant. So, naturally, they had to go get some more.

One problem: It was Roman's turn to go to the store, and he was currently six years old.

Logan was busy working on his thesis for some college paper, and Virgil had already had two panic attacks today because of large amounts of people, so Roman was stuck. He couldn't get out of it, and if he asked they would have gotten suspicious, and anyway he didn't need anyone! He was a brave little prince, that's what Patton always told him, and he could do this! His hands curled into fists and flapped up and down in front of him. 

Despite the reassurances, he hesitated when grabbing his keys, and sent Patton a look. His roommate's eyes widened. "Actually Ro, would you mind if I went with you, to keep you company? I don't have anything to do today, and I could use the exercise!" Patton said, his energetic tone just a touch softer than usual. He always called him 'Ro' when he was regressed. Ro loved it. Adult Roman found it slightly embarrassing. He still liked it.

A warble of littlespeak crept into Ro's voice, despite his best efforts. "Okie Patt'n!" He winced and hoped that no one had noticed. Logan frowned and furrowed his brow, but the expression was gone quickly, and Roman hoped it was nothing.

When they were safely at the car, Patton took the driver's seat without a word. "Hey Ro, I don't want to be too invasive, but are you small right now?"

It's okay. Patton was safe. Patton was a friend. 

Roman nodded, hands tapping against each other in small, fast motions. "Mhmm,,,"

Patton smiled at him before starting the car. "Okay, that's just fine little prince! Just want to be sure so I can take care of you, okay? Do you mind if I ask how old you are right now?" 

Face scrunched up, Ro thought for a second. "Nnnnn,,, six! 'm six!" 

"Thank you for telling me, Ro! Do you want to wait in the car, or come into the store with me? I shouldn't take long!" he added, despite already knowing Roman's answer.

"In! In!" Ro's hands flapped excitedly, and Patton smiled widely. _Gosh, he was adorable!_

"Alright then, little prince!" Patton took a parking spot as close to the store as he could and unbuckled himself before helping the young Roman. "Off we go!" he said cheerfully.

"Quest! Quest!" The two laughed and clasped hands as they headed towards the store.

Ro always felt safer being small around Patton.

Perhaps that was a mistake.

The little let go of Patton's hands pretty quickly, in order to better flap them around as he talked, telling his big a story as they went looking for their groceries. A few people stared, but Ro didn't notice, and Patton was hardly about to point them out to the kiddo.

Not that he got a choice in the matter.

All seemed to be going well as Patton checked out, talking cheerfully to Ro about something- they forgot what it was. It didn't seem important. Not After.

They walked to the car. Ro was flapping his hands as he listened to Patton talk, excited. Happy.

Then a woman approached them.

She was white, middle-aged, with clipped hair and a mouth that seemed permanently set into a frown. "Excuse me," she started, glaring directly at Roman. It was all he could do not to let out a whimper, his hands shifting into a lower, less happy, position. Patton glanced at him reassuringly, but focused on the woman. 

" _Excuse me,_ " she repeated, despite already having their full attention, "You need to stop with those hand motions! They're unseemly, _especially_ for an adult-" Ro actually did whimper here. "And you are setting a bad example for **my** child!" She gestured angrily to a small child, looking miserable in a pink dress and bow. "It's hard enough to get her to stop with that _ridiculous_ flapping without seeing other people doing it! Did your parents not raise you right or something?" 

Tears were welling in Ro's eyes. He couldn't cry, he _wouldn't,_ especially not here! He couldn't speak, couldn't defend himself, he knew if he opened his mouth the only thing that would come out would be a wail. Patton stepped in front of him, the usually softer man fully in what they called his "Protective Papa Mode". 

"I should hope you would be a better parent yourself! Allow me to remind you that not only are flappy hands a _perfectly valid and acceptable means of expression,_ that you are being incredibly rude! How dare you approach us as if we owe you anything!" He didn't wait for the woman to respond before taking Ro by the hand and beginning to drag him away. While Patton definitely felt bad for the child, his priority was Roman, and Roman needed to get out of there. Fast.

 **Unfortunately,** the woman did not feel like accepting defeat. 

She reached out, grabbed Roman by the other arm- pulling him out of a shocked Patton's grasp- and pinned his arms together.

Understandably, he cried out, desperately crying out for his Papa to help him, forgetting to fake maturity altogether in his desperation. Unable to flap his arms as he normally would, he kicked out, terrified. 

"If you want to act like a child, I'll treat you like one!" she cried out, wrangling him tighter- which only made the sobs intensify.

Security had to intervene.

The moment he was free, Ro ran, sobbing, into Patton, who held him as if he was his entire world. In that moment, he was. "It's okay, you're safe now, she can't hurt you again," he murmured, again and again. Roman could barely hear him. 

Patton was glad he was holding him, because with Ro's face buried in his shoulder, the little couldn't see his tears.

One of the guards knelt down beside them. His eyes were kind over his sunglasses, and he was carrying a starbucks- something Patton was pretty sure guards weren't allowed to carry on shift, but he was too tired to care.

"Hey, my name's Remy, Remy Queen, your local he/they. You guys want some help over here?"

Patton glanced around, seeing crowds of onlookers, then looked back down at the shaking child in his arms. "Yeah, if you could help us get back to our car that'd be appreciated." 

The man grinned. "Sure thing, king." 

It was odd, but Remy's prescence was actually quite reassuring as he walked with them. Patton felt a lot less weird carrying Roman with the strangely flamboyant guard nearby, although he would have done it anyway. "What that bitch did was totally not okay. She won't ever come back here if I got anything to say about it, and I got a lot more say around here than people seem to think." His smile dropped slightly as he looked at Ro, still sniffling in Patton's arms. "Don't mean to be all invasive and stuff, but are they regressed right now?" 

Nerves tensed Patton's heart and he squeezed Roman tighter. "Yes, he is, do you have a problem with that?"

Remy raised his hands in the air. "Oh hell- sorry, _heck_ naw! Just askin' cuz my partner runs a group, at the coffee shop I own ya know, it's for littles and syskids who wanna hang out with others like them." 

Ro's sniffles paused, and he glanced over at the man. It physically hurt Patton, to see the shyness and fear in the normally dramatic boy's eyes. Remy noticed, and pulled down his sunglasses to meet his eyes. "Would you be interested in that, little buddy?" 

"I'm a prince!" Ro exclaimed, seeming a little more relaxed. He wiggled, and Patton struggled to keep hold. "My bad, your majesty," Remy bowed, and it didn't seem sarcastic or mocking by any means. "Bu' you're a queen! You don't ha to bow to me!" Roman giggled, and his hands started to wave- before he caught them, pressed them tight to his chest.

  
Patton's heart broke.

Remy didn't seem all that pleased either. "You're right about that, little prince, and you know what?"

"What i' it?" 

"As the Queen, I decree that flappy hands are happy hands, always have been, and always will be! They are an incredibly valid and precious form of expression, and are to be protected and adored at all costs!" 

Ro made a little 'ö' face before bursting into giggles. 

Patton and Remy shared a smile.

Patton helped buckle Roman into the passenger's seat, and Remy passed him a light pink buisness card.

_Coffee and Compassion_

_Dr Emile Picani and Remy Queen_

The back side had two phone numbers over the insignia of a moon with sunglasses. "Forgive the cheesy branding. I'd blame it on my partner, but it's mostly my handiwork."

Patton tucked it into a pocket with a smile. "Thank you, Mx Queen," he said. 

Shrugging, Remy grinned. "Just Remy is fine, Mx...?"

"Oh!" Patton hurriedly shook his hand. "It's Patton, Patton Hart! And the kid is Roman- both he/him." 

Remy bowed again. "Wonderful to meet you, Patton Hart, and the kid too. I gotta head back to work, but good luck. If you ever feel like stopping by the coffee shop, I got free drinks on the house for you two!"   
And then he was gone.

The drive back home was unusually quiet. If not for the lack of sleep-talking, Patton might have assumed Ro had fallen asleep.

When they arrived, Ro begged for 'pickie-uppies'. "Are you sure?" Patton asked, gently. "The others will find out for sure."

The little pouted. "Don' care!!! Pickie-uppy!!!" 

Patton laughed lightly and hefted the kid in his arms. It was a good thing he was strong, all the carrying he did.

"Thank chu Papa," Ro mumbled sleepily into Patton's shirt. Pat's heart melted.

Virgil was sitting on the couch when they came in, and his eyes widened, clearly concerned. Patton laid the sleepy Ro down on the couch and made a shushing motion. Virgil nodded.

Patton tried to stand up to go grab some of Roman's things, but the little made grabby hands at him and he couldn't bear it.

"Virgil honey," he whispered, "Would you mind kindly going into Roman's room, grabbing some pacis and a stuffie from the second drawer down on the left side of his desk?" 

He nearly bolted up to go grab the items. In mere moments he was back with a red pacifier, a small stuffed bunny, a few stim toys, and one of Roman's blankets. At Patton's look, he shrugged, blushing slightly. "I wanted to make sure he has everything he needs," he mumbled. Patton beamed at him.

Ro smiled and babbled happily in his sleep, clutching the stuffie.

Patton wrapped him gently in the blankets. He glanced up at Virgil, who was watching nervously.

"He'll be alright," Patton said. "Have you ever heard of age-regression?"

**Author's Note:**

> this is loosely based on experience, except way less angsty. so. i'm not sure if it's common for people to experience increases in stimming because of age regression, because in our case it was our little, who is always like this huifsdajk  
> so if that's a thing, that's what's happening, if not, roman is always flappy :)   
> (i only prefer the former because it would serve as sort of a que-in for patton to know what's going on, but honestly, while writing this,,, i'm pretty sure it's the latter)


End file.
